For about a year, Stone CEO Greg Koch has said that the Escondido brewery was planning to open a brewery in either Bruges or Berlin. But he has declined to say which city had the inside track.

Now, that mystery has been solved. Germany's capital is the preferred choice.

In an undated letter, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders wrote to his Berlin counterpart, Klaus Wowereit, introducing Koch and Stone Brewing.

Sanders praises Stone as an employer, as a company committed to sustainable growth and -- with its World Bistro & Gardens -- as a tourist attraction.

"It is with all of this in mind that I heartily recommend inviting Stone Brewing Co. to your community," Sanders concluded. "I'm sure they will become every bit as valuable to Berlin as they have grown to become in San Diego."

In earlier interviews, Koch has noted that Stone is negotiating for a multi-acre historic industrial site, composed of several old but charming buildings. While it is now clear that this site is in the Berlin region, the negotiations are still ongoing.